Glabridin inhibits urothelial bladder carcinoma cell growth in vitro and in vivo by inducing cell apoptosis and cell cycle arrest.

Glabridin (GLA) has a variety of biological activities and therapeutic effects in cancers. Whereas the effect of GLA on urothelial bladder carcinoma (UBC) cells and its underlying mechanisms remain unknown. The study revealed the effect of GLA on UBC and the potential mechanism of inducing cell apoptosis in vivo and in vitro. After treated with different concentrations of GLA, the cell activity decreased in a time- and dose-dependent manner. The IC values of BIU-87 and EJ cells at 48 h were 6.02 μg/ml (18.6 μm) and 4.36 μg/ml (13.4 μm), respectively. Additionally, GLA-induced apoptosis and cycle arrest of BIU-87 and EJ cells in G2 phase. Furthermore, wound healing experiments showed that GLA significantly reduced the migration activities of BIU-87 and EJ cells. Mechanically, GLA obviously increased the expression of BIM, BAK1, and CYCS in both mRNA and protein levels, which led to the activation of the endogenous apoptotic pathway. Finally, GLA remarkably inhibited the growth of UBC tumors in vivo. In summary, GLA inhibited UBC cells growth in vitro and in vivo by inducing cell apoptosis and cell cycle arrest, highlighting that GLA could be utilized as a component to design a novel anti-UBC drug.